SOMERSET — The Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee, after a 90-minute public hearing on Tuesday night, unanimously voted on a fiscal 2015 operating budget that’s within $37,000 of the amount assessed this year.

The $13,418,803 net operating budget reflects projected state aid and assessments to the two communities, and should result in Somerset taxpayers paying about 2½ percent less than this year and Berkley taxpayers paying about 10 percent more than fiscal 2014, Business Manager Marc Furtado said.

The total operating budget approved is actually just under $14.3 million.

After the hearing, attended by fewer than a dozen people, the regional committee sliced $60,000 off the assessed figure by using surplus funds from this year.

Prior to that modification, the budget presented by interim Superintendent Thomas Lynch, budget subcommittee Chairwoman Julie Ramos Gagliardi and Furtado showed about $3 million in Chapter 70 state aid and a local assessment of $9.45 million.

Of that, Somerset would pay about $7.5 million and Berkley, $1.8 million, reflecting the proportionate share of the estimated 979 students when the new regional high school opens in September.

Of that total, Somerset would have 698 students, or 71.3 percent, and Berkley 281 students, or 28.7 percent, according to distributed assessment figures.

Recent budget information included a 5 percent, or $62,000, increase in the cost of health insurance, budgeted at $1.2 million.

Regional school board Chairman Richard Peirce said the budget reflects a zero percent increase for teachers and other staff with negotiations having begun on contracts set to expire by the summer.

The difference between the $14.3 million actual budget and the net budget for assessments reflected $835,000 in other revenue sources, Gagliardi said.

A large portion of that, $500,000, came from special-education “circuit-breaker” funding awarded to the district, while federal grants amounted to another $220,000.

Those dollars are not part of the assessment figures, she said.

It brings the local school contribution to 70 percent of the total budget, Chapter 70 at 28 percent and other revenues and grants 2 percent, officials said.

Regional Treasurer Lindsey Albernaz presented the capital budget of $1,086,768, and the borrowing schedule for that amount.

Only $10,000 is targeted to the stabilization account, compared with $100,000 this year because of tight finances and the effort to maintain programs.

Lynch reported their goals were to maintain level general-education services, begin pursuing longterm special-education programs within the district and create a new district transition program he said could save about $130,000 this year.

While the additional health costs are now known, the restructuring of central administration remains undetermined.

Concerns stated by audience members included busing inefficiencies and increased utility costs at a new, more efficient high school. Utility usage is expected to increase substantially, Furtado said.

“This is a tight budget for us,” Peirce said toward the end of the public hearing.

Page 2 of 2 - The regional district must present its budget to select boards in both Somerset and Berkley by April 1, and it is then subject to ratification at Town Meeting in both towns.